London Bridge Is Falling Down, My Fair Lady!
by timewornInkslinger
Summary: A ghost of Ciel's past comes to pay a visit. But her presence will bode ill, though whether for the Phantomhive household, for her, or for others is yet to be seen. CielxOC
1. Aurora

Chapter 1

+|Aurora|+

_I need milk…eggs…flour…more flour…We go through ingredients so fast…_ Sebastian Michaels, loyal butler to Earl Ciel Phantomhive, was shopping for the necessities for meals at the household for the next few days. He was so absorbed in his work that when he bumped into a smaller [to someone of his six feet or so of height, anyway] person, he was startled by the sudden contact.

"I'm sorry, Miss." He said, realizing that the person he had run into was a young girl, around his young master's fifteen years of age, accompanied by a maid. She turned and he gulped. Beneath her light veil of night black bangs, her violet eyes burned with irritation.

"Don't be." she said, her voice cold as dry ice. He shivered involuntary, but studied the girl carefully. In contrast to her dark hair, her skin was pale as alabaster, almost translucent. She was a few inches shorter than Earl Ciel, and was very slightly built. Despite this, she stood tall; obviously a proud girl. She turned to her maid. That was when Sebastian noticed how ragged she really was.

He had known something was off about her. But now, he saw that her dress was dull, dirty and ragged; the parasol she carried was in bad condition; her gloves were as filthy as her dress; and the reason she'd seemed so slight was that she was so skinny, it appeared that she had been starving herself. Her maid was no better.

"Um, pardon me, Miss, but are you alright?" She blinked, as if suddenly realizing how closely he'd been examining her. She stood up straighter and glared at him.

"I, Aurora Schultz, Duchess of the Schultz estate, am perfectly fine!" Schultz… Sebastian knew he'd heard his master mention that name before. But how they were connected remained beyond him. "I… don't need … your …" she never finished her sentence, because at that exact moment, she swayed and then collapsed. Sebastian caught her and looked at the maid. Her eyes were pleading. Without saying another word, Sebastian motioned to her and led the way to the carriage he'd taken into London.

* * *

"Sebastian!! _What _do you mean by bringing strange commoners to the estate?!" Ciel Phantomhive stood at the top of the stairs in the entrance hall of his mansion, watching as his butler helped a young, filthy girl his age and her maid into the house. What was he doing, defiling the hall?! Sebastian kneeled, bowing low to him.

"Forgive me, Young Master, but this girl says her name is Aurora Schultz and I believed that you have mentioned her before, and so, might want to meet her." Ciel swayed for a second, leaning on the stair rail. So quietly that he knew only Sebastian could hear him, Ciel said,

"Th-that's _impossible_… Aurora Schultz died five years ago… That's…" He straightened, looking Sebastian straight on. "Sebastian, get those two settled in a guest room, have baths prepared and clean and proper clothes." Sebastian stood and nodded.

"Before that is done, allow me to remind you, Young Master, that we do not have any maiden's clothing anywhere in the mansion, except Meirin's maid uniforms." Ciel frowned. Did Sebastian always have to be so difficult?

"Well, did you finish your shopping?" he demanded. Sebastian thought for a moment then shook his head. Ciel sighed. "Then get clothes while you're finishing that." Sebastian bowed.

"Yes, Young Master." he replied simply, and turned on his heel, relaying his orders to the other staff before going out. Ciel watched as Bard and Finnian helped the maid and her unconscious mistress up the stairs. He stopped Bard.

"What is it, Earl Ciel?" He asked. Ciel looked at him as if he would kill him if he didn't follow his orders- which he probably would if unstopped by Sebastian.

"When 'Aurora' is well enough, I would like to speak to her. Tell Sebastian that he is to make sure that she, under no circumstances, escapes this mansion before then. Am I understood?" Bard nodded, shaking. "Good." Ciel turned and went up the stairs ahead of him, heading to his room.

* * *

Ciel was sitting on top of his bed, reading idly. It wasn't that he was reading because he was bored or to entertain himself.

He was trying to _distract _himself.

Sure enough, however, it wasn't working. Sighing, he set the book aside. He was still remembering how he believed Aurora had died…

_Ten year old Ciel Phantomhive watched in horror from the front lawn of the Schultz estate as a fire ravaged the mansion of his best friend. He was struggling against the Schultz's butler, Edward's, strong arms, as they prevented him from attempting to rescue his closest friend._

_"Master Ciel, you must stop." he begged imploringly._

_"NO!! Aurora's still in there! I've got to save her!! Aurora! AURORA!!" His struggling motions slowed as he realized that there was no chance his small, ten year old body would be able to best Edward's strength. He hung his head, the tears coming silently and suddenly. This was it; he'd lost everything close to him; his parents, and now his best friend. 'Everyone I ever loved' he thought with a shock. 'Everyone I ever loved is gone forever…' _

Ciel sat for a moment, realizing that he was still crying, even though the memory was from five years ago. He'd lost all the people close to him because of two tragic, disastrous fires. Just then, there was a soft knock that sounded from behind his door. He looked up, startled. The knock was too quiet to be Sebastian, and none of the other staff ever came up here at this time of night!

It could only be Aurora.

He wasn't sure why he believed that if he questioned her thoroughly he might discover that she wasn't some ruse created by Sebastian's demonic power to test his strength, but some part of him knew that this was the real Aurora, his real, beloved best friend Aurora. He found the thought that something precious he thought he'd lost had come back. _Something once lost will never return._ He smiled ruefully at the events that were contradicting the statement he'd made only three years ago. The knock sounded again, more insistent than before, making him jump. He took a deep breath.

"Come in." He whispered, practically holding his breath. The door creaked open and she stepped in. She chuckled, looking him up and down.

"Still wearing the same types of clothes to bed as when we were kids, I see, Ciel." He looked down, cheeks red, and examined his nightwear. He was wearing a white, loose-fitted button down shirt, and under shorts. It didn't help that he could picture every aspect of what Aurora would look like right now. Her night black hair was most likely loose, her light layer of bangs playing into her violet eyes, bright with amusement, her rose-red lips curled into an amused smile, her already slight figure even more accentuated by one of the many dresses and nightgowns Sebastian had bought for her and her maid earlier that day. And suddenly her thin arms, so strong despite their appearance, were hugging him, one wrapped around his neck, the other around his waist. His blush deepened. This was definitely _not_ like him.

"I missed you, Ciel…" Her whisper set his heart aching, and he hugged her back, feeling her warmth in his arms; so reassuring that she was real and not some dream his mind had conjured.

"I missed you too, Aurora." He whispered back, burying his face in her hair. "I missed you so much."


	2. Stories In The Dark

xXEarlCielIsMyMasterXx: Hey everyone!!

Sebastian: So, you've decided to do a pre-talk of sorts, my Lady?

xXEarlCielIsMyMasterXx: You could say that… Hey, where's Ciel?

Ciel: Here. And I have a few words for you. *evil glare*

Sebastian: *glances at xXEarl* Um… I think you should run.

xXEarlCielIsMyMasterXx: Good idea. Enjoy everyone! AIIIYAAAAHHHH!!! *runs away screaming*

Ciel: Come back here!! How _DARE_ you make me so vulnerable!! That's completely outside of my character!!.........

Sebastian: *watches, sweat dropping* X.X; Um, anyway, xXEarlCielIsMyMasterXx doesn't own Kuroshitsuji… Just Aurora, I guess…. Please enjoy our finest hospitality!

* * *

Chapter 2

+|Stories In the Dark|+

Ciel released Aurora and stepped back. She looked somewhat better after a day of rest at the mansion. She looked up at him; joy the dominant emotion in her eyes. "Aurora… Tell me, where were you all this time?" She raised an eyebrow.

"'All this time'?" she asked curiously. "It was only five years." Ciel turned away.

"Five years, and I thought you were dead the whole time." He said in a strangled voice. He whirled on her. "How could you do something like that to me?" He cried. She sighed, placing one hand on his shoulder and gently leading him to sit on the bed.

"Would you like me to tell you what happened that day? What _really_ happened?" She asked him, her voice soft and gentle. He nodded, still looking away from her, arms crossed in anger. She smiled slightly. "Alright then; I'll tell you…"

_Aurora and Ciel were sitting at the dining table, talking and eating while her parents discussed whatever it was adults discussed. It floated right over the heads of the ten year old children. Suddenly, a maid, Aurora's maid Castella to be exact, rushed in._

_"Master Schultz!! There's a fire burning in the kitchen downstairs! The servants are saying that we need to evacuate everyone in case it spreads." She gasped. Aurora watched as her father leapt out of his chair and ran out, Castella following hurriedly, tailed by her own mother as well. She looked at Ciel and they ran to follow, but Edward, the Schultz family butler, grabbed Ciel from behind. _

_"Watch out, Master Ciel!" Aurora turned, and almost ran straight into the inferno in front of the staircase. She stopped as a wave of intense heat washed over her and gasped, falling backwards onto the ground, eyes wide with shock. _

_"Father! Mother!! NO!" She screamed, then spotted a path through the flames and turned to follow it. She only turned once to tell Edward to get Ciel out of the house, and then she was covering her nose and mouth with one arm and squinting as she ran, flames marking her path on either side._

_Once up the stairs, she listened, calling out to Castella and her parents occasionally, trying to find them. Suddenly, she heard a bone-chilling laugh and knew what was happening. She hurried down the hall, stopping in the doorway of the burning master bedroom where the servants were running screaming from. She saw her parents against one wall, Castella collapsed in another corner, and almost screamed aloud when she discovered who was penning her parents in. _

_It was her older brother, Raymond._

_Raymond had gone missing many months ago and had just returned to the family this week, but he was different. He had come back, quiet, but cold, cruel and calculating at the same time. He seemed to have a certain passionate lust for blood, gore and violence, and now she was seeing it in action as he raised a knife and began to laugh, threatening her parents._

_Aurora screamed as he slit each of their throats then began to suck their blood. Eyes wide, she fell to her knees in complete, overwhelming shock. Then, she almost vomited when she saw that her brother was taking the bodies of her beloved mother and father and chopping them into small pieces. "No…" she whispered. "No no no no no…." Then Castella was dragging her out of the room, urging her on as Raymond threw the pieces of her parents into the raging flames in the room, then turned at the sound of her sobbing, screaming tears, blood dripping from the knife in his hand, the scarlet teeth in his mouth, his eyes wide and wild with the bloodlust that had hold of him…_

Aurora shuddered as she finished describing what her brother had been; a monster of the greatest horror. Ciel was quiet, but hugged her closer as she began to sob.

"Castella and I have been traveling ever since. It didn't occur to me to come to you until recently. That's what we were doing in London when Sebastian found us. I didn't realize he was working for you, so I was rude to him…" She sighed softly, as if relieved to have finally told someone what had happened five years ago, even less time to her, since she was two years older than him.

"Aurora, wh-what happened to Raymond after the-that?" Ciel asked her. She started, surprised.

"I-I don't know…" she whispered, looking away. Ciel resisted the urge to shake the truth from her, for he knew she was lying. But he let it go.

"Never mind that, then. You need rest, Aurora. I'll see you in the morning." She understood the order behind his dismissal. She rose and was at the door, when she turned.

"Oh, Ciel…" He looked up from where he was putting away the book he'd been reading earlier.

"Yes, Aurora?" She hesitated for a second.

"I want to talk to you more extensively tomorrow night." She said quietly. He nodded and she left. He glanced once more at the title on the spine of the book.

"London Bridge Is Falling." he whispered. He smirked. "It certainly is… It certainly is…"


	3. The Truth Behind The Mask

xXEarlCielIsMyMasterXx: Wow, I made it to chapter three!!

Sebastian: *claps politely* Congratulations, young miss. But I believe you've made it this far before.

Lagrima Reina: True, very true. Hey, Ciel, how long do you plan on sulking, anyway?

Ciel: *sitting in a corner, trying to contain his anger* ~muttered~ How ever long it takes you to die.

Lagrima Reina and Sebastian: O_O;

Elizabeth: *walks in* Well, this is awkward…

Lagrima Reina: Elizabeth!! What are you doing here?

Elizabeth: I'm in this chapter too!!

Lagrima Reina: Oh yeah…Wait, no you're not!!

Elizabeth: *turns bright red* ~mumbles~ I wanted to see Ciel.

Sebastian: I believe the appropriate phrase is "Busted."

Lagrima Reina: ~sweat drop~ Well enjoy everyone!!

Elizabeth: Lagrima Reina doesn't own Kuroshitsuji!!

* * *

Chapter 3

+|The Truth behind the Mask|+

Aurora yawned, though it wasn't because she was waking up. She never slept, after all, not anymore. She looked over to see Castella already taking out a dress for her. She stepped out of bed and her maid helped her get dressed.

"What will are you doing today, miss?" Castella asked in her quiet, gentle voice. Aurora thought for a minute while Castella tied up her corset.

"The usual, I suppose- nothing. What about you, Castella?" Castella smiled.

"I shall be wherever you are, My Lady."

Ciel yawned as light suddenly streamed into the room through his window, burning through his eyelids. He blinked, blinded, and winced.

"Good morning, young master." He glared at Sebastian with his blue eye. Sebastian smiled mockingly and bowed. "Miss Elizabeth will be visiting this morning, then after that is a merchant from Hungary, and a small-business owner who would like to request an audience with the Queen through you from Austria." At the name of Aurora's home country, Ciel jolted up.

"_Austria_, Sebastian? Are you sure they said, _Austria_?" Sebastian looked at him as if he were acting strangely.

"Yes, I'm sure. I would never lie to you, Young Master. I _can't_." Ciel sighed. _I hope it's not who I think it is… _He thought.

A few hours later, Ciel's worst fears were confirmed when Raymond Schultz was guided through the doors of his mansion, looking around and making polite comments, with a superior and such look on his face the whole time. Ciel cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Hello, Raymond." He addressed his guest. To Sebastian, he instructed "Tell Castella that Aurora _must not know_ the identity of our guest. I'm afraid of what she might do if she finds out." Sebastian kneeled down, bowing low.

"Yes, My Lord."

* * *

Castella approached her mistress cautiously. "Miss, Sebastian-san has kindly agreed to take us out. Where-"

"I'm not going." The quiet yet forceful response momentarily surprised Castella long enough to stall her response;

"Why not?" She returned. Her mistress turned. Her expression was that of one who has to repeatedly explain a simple concept to a pathetic imbecile.

"Ciel is obviously trying to keep me from finding something out." She narrowed her eyes. I _will _find out what he's hiding." Castella sighed and curtsied.

"Of course, My Lady." She remained in that position as Aurora swept from the room. She rose at the sound of the door slamming shut. "I hope this is as you had hoped...Raymond-sama."

* * *

Aurora ran down the stairs from the third floor to the second and from there down the various hallways to the study room where she could feel the presence of Ciel's mind, Sebastian's mind and _his _mind.

She could sense her brother Raymond's.

She burst into the room, the doors slamming into the opposite walls so fast and with so much force, they fell to the ground with an ear-splitting creak. Though they should have brought Aurora to the ground with them, she was already by Raymond, her eyes wide and dilated, turned vivid red. She raised her arm and in the twenty seconds that followed the motion, the sound of her hand striking his face rang in the air. Sebastian watched in wide-eyed silence, while Ciel jumped up, eyes wide, knocking the chair over as he attempted to grab Aurora and drag her away. But something held him back; fear.

It was fear that held him back.

It was some sort of instinct that told him that if he went near Aurora as she was now, he might possibly get killed, and that he would for _sure_ get severely injured. It was that fact that induced fear in him, and that fear that forced him to watch as his best friend turned her murderous intent on her only remaining family.

"I hate you." The feral animal, predatory growl sent shivers down Ciel's spine, rooting him further to the spot. Raymond just smiled pleasantly, grasping the younger girl's wrist and flipping her over his shoulder through the air. Ciel flashed a glance at Sebastian and the black-clad butler caught the catapulting Duchess seconds before she hit the ground.

"I know," Raymond responded, his hand sliding into his pocket. From it, he drew out a gun, pointing it at his younger sister's forehead. ", Just like I hate low-life, long-living, monstrous, blood-sucking vampires." Aurora's eyes shot open wide as he placed his finger on the blood-soaked trigger, and slowly began pulling back…

* * *

_Well, I certainly hope it's good so far. I'm not sure how to write in Victorian-style kind of voice, so I hope the formality is working out well._


	4. Monster or Monstrous

Lagrima Reina: Yay, chapter 4!!

Ciel: Would you stop celebrating every chapter? It's very irritating.

Tanaka: Ho ho ho…

Lagrima Reina and Ciel: OO; _………………………_

Ciel: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!

Tanaka: Ho ho ho…

Lagrima Reina: Oh yeah, that's right. Ciel, Sebastian said he couldn't make it today.

Ciel: _ So, Tanka's here in his place?

Lagrima Reina: I guess so. It seems Sebastian's too busy taking care of Aurora.

Ciel: Oh, just get on with my personal humiliation! *starts sulking again*

Lagrima Reina: ~sigh~ yeah, yeah… I DO NOT own Kuroshitusji!!

* * *

Chapter 4

+|Monster or Monstrous?|+

Ciel dove towards Raymond as his finger pulled the trigger and released it. To Ciel, everything was happening in slow motion; Raymond's maniac anger mixed with sadistic joy at being able to shoot his younger sister; Sebastian by Ciel's side one second, knocking Aurora aside the next; the screams of Finnie, Bard and Maylene; Castella appearing out of nowhere and putting herself in front of Raymond's line of fire.

_Castella._

This single thought brought him to searching her face, analyzing her expression, looking for the attributes that marked her as a vampire; the same way Sebastian had been able to tell Aurora was different from humans with one look at her face. And the signs were there; blood-red eyes, the pupils dilated to slits in both eyes; long, vicious fangs that looked sharp as a butcher's knife; and, of course, the miraculous speed with which she had entered.

"Castella." The thought became verbal and every head in the small room that suddenly seemed smaller to the young Earl turned to look at him. He straightened, helped by Sebastian, who still had Aurora in the crook of his right arm. He looked straight at the maid of his best friend who stared defiantly back.

"It was you. It was always you…" He began walk slowly towards the traitor. "You started the fire; there was no way anyone else in the servants' quarter of the Schultz household would be that clumsy. You told Raymond that his younger sister was being sheltered here. You're a traitor. You're a monster and traitor!!" His last exclamation sent Castella into fits of hysterical laughter, the maid falling to her knees, her face buried in her hands. Meanwhile, Raymond approached the young earl and lifted him off his feet by the front of his shirt.

"You're smart, but not smart enough." Raymond threw Ciel across the room, the force causing the young teen to smash into the opposite wall. He walked over and picked him back up. "You're such a failure at handling women that you're not hooked to my sister's charm. That alone has saved you from her true intent!" He punctuated the word 'true' by punching Ciel in the face with such force that Maylene and the other staff screamed. But no one reacted like Aurora. One second Sebastian had a hold on her, the next he was flying into the wall like a discarded sack of flour and was standing in front of Raymond, Ciel standing behind her, now released from the maniac's grip.

"Keep. Your. Hands. _Off_. HIM!!!!" She growled, finally raising her voice to a volume that came close to that of a lion's roar echoing through a valley as she issued the last word of her command. Ciel fell to the ground, hands pressed onto his ears, but unable to block the sound. When he looked up, Aurora was attacking her brother in a manner similar to Castella's insane state. "You disgusting _RAT_!!!!" She began to rip at him with claw-like fingernails, his screams punctuating the sounds of Raymond's gasps, protests and howls of pain with the sound of ripping and tearing flesh. The spectacle threatened to make Ciel sick.

Mangled as his body was, Raymond looked up at the girl ripping him apart, glaring.

"C-Castella!" Raymond choked out. Aurora's eyes widened and she flipped backwards as her maid came rushing at her, one hand extended to catch the young girl by the throat.

"Sebastian!" The word stopped both women the second it was spoken. Sebastian appeared in between them, putting one hand out to warn Aurora to stop, and the other drawn back, ready to be used in the case that Castella decided to retaliate. The maid merely glanced at Sebastian before disappearing. Sebastian whirled to find her standing at the window Raymond's destroyed body in her arms.

"You can't hide anymore, Lady Aurora." Though the hiss was no more than a whisper, Ciel watched as Aurora visibly froze. She remained like that for a few more minutes, even as Castella escaped through the window and the crash of glass echoed through the room. Then, she collapsed to her knees. Ciel finally found the strength to stand and walked slowly over to where she sat, fists on the ground in front of her, head bowed.

"Aurora…" He reached out to her, but her hand flashed up and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. He flinched, startled.

"Don't. Don't try to make me feel better." She looked up at him, her eyes back to their normal violet state, but with tears slowly finding their way down her cheeks. "I'm a monster…" He kneeled down next to her and hugged her.

"No you're not. You're Aurora Schultz, and you always have been, and always will be, my best friend." And he held her as she cried.


End file.
